A RIDICULOUS SCHEME.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 93, 20 April 1894, Page 2

A RIDICULOUS SCHEME.

The preposterous proposal that New Zealand should annex or govern Samoa has, we regret to notice, been seriously revived. When some years ago another Liberal Government entertained a similar idea it was promptly nipped in the bud by Imperial authority, and was almost unanimously condemned by public opinion in the colony. The Imperiil Government having had a good deal of trouble with Samoa may not enforce its opinions so summarily on the present occasion, but wo mistake public opinion in New Zealand if it is not even more decided than formerly in its condemnation of the scheme. Germany and America will probably be divided between good-natured amnsement at the colossal impudenoo of the Government of this colony and amazement that such a proposal conld have been seriously made, unless, indeed, they are anxious to escape further responsibility for Samoa on any terms. Even if such a proposal as that this colony should assume a responsibility which has proved too heavy for the three Powers conld bo regarded as within tho range of practical politics, we do not think the Ministry is justified iv making the offer it has done without direct instructions and authority from Parliament. Interference in the affairs of Samoa is a matter entirely outside tho range of a Kew Zealand Ministry's ordinary sphere of duty, and the colony should not have been in any way committed to an offer of the kind without full consideration by Parliament. Tho majority of sensible people who are familiar with the affairs of this colony will hold that New Zealand has quite onough to do to manage its own business without interfering with that of its neielibourß, or assuming responsibilities outside its own natural bounds. Kew Zealand has suffered so severely in tho past from a native difficulty of its own that it should be very ohary of mixing itself np with any native difficulty abroad. New Zealand is not in its own conoerns suoh a modol of pood government and perfeot administration as to encourage the hope that it could satisfactorily administer the affairs of another country some ICIS miles away. New Zealand affairs are sufficiently important and difficult to absorb the full attention of the very best men in tbo colony. Unfortunately, the best men are not in its Ministry, and consequently the internal management of affairs is by no means as good as it should be. To impose upon the inferior class of politicians who nowabtempt to govern the colony, and who exhibit marvellous inaptitude and incapacity for the task, the further duty of governing a large and important dependency, of whoso affairs they are sublimely ignorant, wonld be sheer madness on the part of the people of Now Zealand. Now Zealnnd cannot I spare either attention or monoy for founding colonies or croating a foreign policy. Interference in the affairs of Samoa could only bring trouble and expense on this colony. It would divert both ■attention and money which are required within the colony, and no profit could possibly ensue. It might increase tho importance.of Ministers and afford them increased patronage in the way of billets for followers like Mr. William Fraser, but neither of these things would be for the benefit of New Zealand. We hopo the peoplo of the colony will speak ont with no uncertain voice in condemnation of the course Ministers have taken, and contemplate pursuing, in this most important matter.